@@seanmcbay There's something to be said about art direction massaging technological limitations vs. the hyper-reality of most modern AAA titles. I still refer to Scott McCloud's observation that a bit of abstraction is more engaging and immersive than realism, especially for a fantasy setting.
The art and the environment look pretty great. The only thing that looks outdated are the character models, and even then the monsters have this abstract cartoony charm that you can't help but like.
Its a literally 30 year old game and like the second game ever to attempt 3d polygon stuff iirc so id call criticism like that extremely asinine (not directed at you to be clear)
Retusuprae's legendary LP deserves a followup by fellow SA alumni Supergreatfriend... especially when the series really goes off its rocker in the later entries.
@@Crowley9 I believe that's also where LP's originated from. They started out as forum posts with screenshots from the game (The first Let's Play I think was Oregon Trail).
I used to rent this and _Escape From Monster Manor_ for my 3DO back in the day, scared the holy hell out of me. I'm just going to assume SGF is laughing out of fear as some sort of defensive mechanism
It's kind of impressive how they managed to get all the typical 90s survival horror jank on the very first try. And, as an added bonus, they even managed to throw in a ton of 80s point-and-click adventure jank on top of it all!
I was equal parts fascinated and terrified of this game when I was a child. I think I had a bunch of infogrames demos on CD or something, maybe from a gaming mag. I couldn't get through the attic, the little polygonal rat thing scared me so much. In my defense, I was 10, and even though I played it years after its release, this was still cutting edge stuff in PC horror gaming at the time.
The extreme close up of the polygon faces on that staircase and the crisp cracking sound whenever you hit a monster are some of the best things I’ve seen/heard all month
It can be hard to play now but I really do love this game. It has a great mix of cool and goofy. The first is also probably still the best Alone in the Dark game, which admittedly ain't saying much. Silent Hill fans think they have it bad...
Honestly I think the upcoming game actually has a chance at being good. It's a loose retelling of the original trilogy, and I remember hearing they got former Frictional devs working on it. Hopefully it pans out.
It's a game I have close to my heart, that I would never revisit. I played it repeatedly back when it was launched. I got the big box and had to upgrade my PC because the game used the new "HD" floppy discs. First room is a bit of a puzzle too. You can do everything in there without fighting any of the monsters. Also I believe there's a book sort of hinting at the puzzle with the mirrors.
Coming back to this lp after all the others and God this one has such a charm that none other can achieve. It's so silly and ... It has that strange logic to all it's puzzles. It can be trial and error but it's such a short game where you can save and reload with ease that it doesn't bother me. The story delights me, the voice acting is wonderful, and the feeling of a single house you explore and puzzle out is something immensely satisfying to me. A special and strange game
So, a good thing to take under consideration is that Alone in the Dark, despite being called "the father of Survival Horror", works more on point'n'click logic than anything else. Without saying too much, a good example is that you're not supposed to fight at all in the attic :D Really hope you're going to play the whole game, as it is quite short, and it's basically a game made to be replayed until you understand how to best resolve or avoid each encounter.
Ah, a classic. The great grandfather of all survival horror. I never played it but I, like many SupergreatFans, have fond memories of the Retsupraes. I also consistently confused this with that Nickelodeon series 'Are you Afraid of the Dark?' but that and this have no relation whatsoever.
While I certainly would adore a full playthrough of this, It's a little. Obtuse? Frustrating? It's the kind of game that's not the *greatest* for a blind playthrough.
Running is fine on old PCs like my good old Pentium 133. But modern hardware runs too fast which causes the issue. It might be possible to find a good DOSBox config to make it work well. Back in the day I found AitD1 to be quite rough, whereas I loved AitD 2 and 3. Would be keen to see what you think of them. Thanks for the video anyway!
I won't explain what a best boy does, I agree that it was funnier when I didn't know. But I think it is worth mentioning that it is a job that has very little to do with video games, and especially not this one
Graphics pretty good for '92. I had this for my 3DO back in '95, part of an Infogrames bundle pack. Just as terrible as I remember. Picked up a PS1 later that same year and never looked back. If hardware today kept improving at the pace it did in the 90s, you wouldn't be able to distinguish video games from reality. Alone in the Dark is... not fun at all.
I remember a friend had the demo? shareware version? of this game, and for some reason we were never able to figure out how to exit the attic. We'd prevent the monsters from spawning and then just wander around the empty attic until we got bored.
There's that one ancient game where they decided to go for the ORBS aesthethic and everything moving is just made of orbs, it's wild and nonsensical but also short.
@@Jokoko2828 Graphics will only go so far. Personally I rather have these graphics as long as the story is good; or either so bad that it's good. I don't know what it is but I just love this game and all of the jank and craziness
@@DustyMansonOtome Yeah, love these games and their eternally drunk, bumbling protagonist, man deals with eldritch horrors, the undead and wizards and just waltzes through them with all the grace of Kool-Aid Man busting through walls.
Yeah this is a pretty rough game, not one I would reccomend for a blind run given how it makes the player learn from dying rather than giving them a fair chance.
I hope this becomes a full LP. Not a long game as far as I know. Sad the remake that happened about 10 years ago didn't get finished. But this series needs a rebirth. Too many mistakes.
Hoping for the full LP. Don't know if the game is insanely difficult with puzzles, but I think you should try it and drop it if you get hopelessly stuck
it's definitely has a lot of elements that modern horror games could use without going overboard with holding your hand. It's just games that copied it in some ways did a better job at simplifying some mechanics.
Not Very Alone In A Very Brightly Lit Mansion.
It's amazing what the pioneers could do with a handful of polygons
Jeremy's letter is so masterfully voice acted. A+, 10/10. Loved it.
It's just the right amount of cheese
Living for the drama.
Five minutes in, and it's so southern, I've already got "the vapors".
"This is a family stream."
- literally ten seconds later -
"OH SHIT THAT'S POLYGONS!"
Who can blame him? I react the same way whenever I see polygons
Polygons have no place in decent Christian entertainment
I think that might be the first time I've ever heard him swear outside of reading game text aloud.
@@mollymillions6586 I was just wondering if that was the only time I've ever heard him swear. Somebody go through the archives!
@@Mahazuhul He said "This motherfucker right here." in reference to a particular character during his Detroit: Become Human bumble.
I know people call the graphics of this game outdated and like, I don't think they are wrong but i legit find this style so cool and mesmerizing.
Same. I find this more interesting to watch than the Dead Space remake honestly.
And the soundwork is great, I can imagine my 12 year old self shitting his pants from the creaky stuff and monster noises.
@@seanmcbay There's something to be said about art direction massaging technological limitations vs. the hyper-reality of most modern AAA titles.
I still refer to Scott McCloud's observation that a bit of abstraction is more engaging and immersive than realism, especially for a fantasy setting.
The art and the environment look pretty great. The only thing that looks outdated are the character models, and even then the monsters have this abstract cartoony charm that you can't help but like.
Its a literally 30 year old game and like the second game ever to attempt 3d polygon stuff iirc so id call criticism like that extremely asinine (not directed at you to be clear)
Retusuprae's legendary LP deserves a followup by fellow SA alumni Supergreatfriend... especially when the series really goes off its rocker in the later entries.
Can we just pretend SA never happened?
SA?
@@judyhopps9380 Something Awful. The forums there had a significant Let's Play section.
@@Crowley9 I believe that's also where LP's originated from. They started out as forum posts with screenshots from the game (The first Let's Play I think was Oregon Trail).
Why not, lowtax already played silent hill 2
I used to rent this and _Escape From Monster Manor_ for my 3DO back in the day, scared the holy hell out of me. I'm just going to assume SGF is laughing out of fear as some sort of defensive mechanism
alone in the dark is the great granddaddy of every survival horror game. it's an absolute classic. i really hope you finish it.
It's kind of impressive how they managed to get all the typical 90s survival horror jank on the very first try. And, as an added bonus, they even managed to throw in a ton of 80s point-and-click adventure jank on top of it all!
look at a game called Project Firestart from 1989
I was equal parts fascinated and terrified of this game when I was a child. I think I had a bunch of infogrames demos on CD or something, maybe from a gaming mag. I couldn't get through the attic, the little polygonal rat thing scared me so much. In my defense, I was 10, and even though I played it years after its release, this was still cutting edge stuff in PC horror gaming at the time.
Sgf plays Alone In The Dark like how a child plays street fighter
The extreme close up of the polygon faces on that staircase and the crisp cracking sound whenever you hit a monster are some of the best things I’ve seen/heard all month
Don't stop there, keep playing!
So far, this is the best blind play of Alone in the Dark.
I always thought they did a pretty good job with the tech they had available. Had to be frugal with those 'gons!
That wombo combo into the death pit in the floor was hilarious. This game lol.
It can be hard to play now but I really do love this game. It has a great mix of cool and goofy. The first is also probably still the best Alone in the Dark game, which admittedly ain't saying much. Silent Hill fans think they have it bad...
Honestly I think the upcoming game actually has a chance at being good. It's a loose retelling of the original trilogy, and I remember hearing they got former Frictional devs working on it. Hopefully it pans out.
This is the series where you're playing a drunk santa going after undead pirates, nothing modern devs do will be able to top that wackiness.
The first time I played this I was pretty young and that first monster coming through the window legitimately scared the hell out of me.
>Read letter
>Dude panicking about monsters as he writes it
>Still took the time to make the lettering fancy looking and clean
It's kind of like letters that go "they are coming for me aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah".
the voice acting came much later. But to be fair, it is very fancy lettering.
Now this was just thoroughly delightful! Would love a full lp
It's a game I have close to my heart, that I would never revisit. I played it repeatedly back when it was launched. I got the big box and had to upgrade my PC because the game used the new "HD" floppy discs.
First room is a bit of a puzzle too. You can do everything in there without fighting any of the monsters. Also I believe there's a book sort of hinting at the puzzle with the mirrors.
the hint you get about the fighting is from Emily, whose monologue SGF skipped over.
I came in to watch a horror game and what I got was Edward performing Miami Connection Tae Kwon Do.
Not disappointed.
This was one of my first survival horror games. Definitely a classic!
I feel like more horror games should have Dick Kick-oriented combat.
Ah. The voiceover version. If possible the books need to be seen to be believed.
The books have some wonderfully long-winded narration.
Coming back to this lp after all the others and God this one has such a charm that none other can achieve. It's so silly and ... It has that strange logic to all it's puzzles. It can be trial and error but it's such a short game where you can save and reload with ease that it doesn't bother me. The story delights me, the voice acting is wonderful, and the feeling of a single house you explore and puzzle out is something immensely satisfying to me. A special and strange game
The puzzles mostly have some logic to them, the only one that's REALLY reaching is the arrow puzzle with the carpet.
SGF with the PRO melee strats. Go off jank King.
I knew what a bestboy was and intentionally try and forget to keep the immature chuckles flowing
So, a good thing to take under consideration is that Alone in the Dark, despite being called "the father of Survival Horror", works more on point'n'click logic than anything else.
Without saying too much, a good example is that you're not supposed to fight at all in the attic :D
Really hope you're going to play the whole game, as it is quite short, and it's basically a game made to be replayed until you understand how to best resolve or avoid each encounter.
Ah, a classic. The great grandfather of all survival horror. I never played it but I, like many SupergreatFans, have fond memories of the Retsupraes.
I also consistently confused this with that Nickelodeon series 'Are you Afraid of the Dark?' but that and this have no relation whatsoever.
While I certainly would adore a full playthrough of this, It's a little. Obtuse? Frustrating? It's the kind of game that's not the *greatest* for a blind playthrough.
This holds up. Something to note is that in RE normal enemies don't follow you from room to room, but in this it seems like they can.
Ah, the infamous "infrogrammes".
I remember being scared by this game when i was a kid lol
I remember playing this game as a kid, and almost shitting myself at the damned thing in the attic.
I hope the fact that you're continuing this means you intend to continue New Nightmare, I feel like there's almost no commentated runs of it.
Running is fine on old PCs like my good old Pentium 133. But modern hardware runs too fast which causes the issue. It might be possible to find a good DOSBox config to make it work well.
Back in the day I found AitD1 to be quite rough, whereas I loved AitD 2 and 3. Would be keen to see what you think of them. Thanks for the video anyway!
the female lead in this dresses a lot like the woman from Remothered.
The fight mode animation reminds me of Twinsen's Adventure.
Some of the devs who worked in infogrames ended up working on Little Big Adventure.
You had me at hello back in 1990 7 I borrowed this from a buddy and it was super bizarre but for the time cool and spooky
I really want to see you do a full playthrough of this.
I won't explain what a best boy does, I agree that it was funnier when I didn't know. But I think it is worth mentioning that it is a job that has very little to do with video games, and especially not this one
A full playthrough would be great!
I'd love to see you "Jack in the Dark", tbh.
38:00 _'He's putting those educated feet to good use!'_
Memories...
if you want more "alone in the dark" content, check out the official motion picture from 2005!
Cruel.
That game over screen is awesome!!!! What even are those beasties?!
Carnby sounds like same voice actor as George from Broken Sword.
Ah, Infogrames. My fav thing about that game company is when they commissioned a theme song: th-cam.com/video/522bVV-82qQ/w-d-xo.html
Dem polygons, I am sort of tempted to try to see if I can even play this along with it's sequels just uh not illumination and the 2008 game.
Just remember: there's no such thing as new ideas. Dig up any old game corpse and make you a new game
Graphics pretty good for '92. I had this for my 3DO back in '95, part of an Infogrames bundle pack. Just as terrible as I remember. Picked up a PS1 later that same year and never looked back. If hardware today kept improving at the pace it did in the 90s, you wouldn't be able to distinguish video games from reality. Alone in the Dark is... not fun at all.
I remember a friend had the demo? shareware version? of this game, and for some reason we were never able to figure out how to exit the attic. We'd prevent the monsters from spawning and then just wander around the empty attic until we got bored.
"Dear God what's wrong with your faaaace!!"
ah alone in the dark the orignal horror game if we don't count sweet home for the famicom.
Please keep playing the original trilogy, there's a lot of hilarity to be had!
This game has the best graphics ever. Even more better graphics than the current games
There's that one ancient game where they decided to go for the ORBS aesthethic and everything moving is just made of orbs, it's wild and nonsensical but also short.
@@Jokoko2828 Graphics will only go so far. Personally I rather have these graphics as long as the story is good; or either so bad that it's good. I don't know what it is but I just love this game and all of the jank and craziness
@@DustyMansonOtome Yeah, love these games and their eternally drunk, bumbling protagonist, man deals with eldritch horrors, the undead and wizards and just waltzes through them with all the grace of Kool-Aid Man busting through walls.
I am personally a fan of the backgrounds, but the models have this old goofiness I really enjoy.
Is Carnby drunk or does the emulation just make him sound that way?
He sounds like this no matter what. Maybe the voice actor was drunk while recording this.
It's the 1920's, assume that Carnby is filled with whiskey and laudanum at all times.
The man is alcohol incarnate and it's great.
@@Jokoko2828 I mean, he drank a flask in a first aid kit, that's probably 100% rubbing alcohol
Yeah this is a pretty rough game, not one I would reccomend for a blind run given how it makes the player learn from dying rather than giving them a fair chance.
Didn't we... wasn't there already alone in the dark for an hour not too long ago or am I losing my mind?
Wasn't it "Alone in the dark 2: Jack is back" ? 🤔
I hope this becomes a full LP. Not a long game as far as I know. Sad the remake that happened about 10 years ago didn't get finished. But this series needs a rebirth. Too many mistakes.
@Legofan94 I heard something about that, but wasn't sure if it was a proper remake or reimagining.
@@reaverofjillsandwiches seems closer to the latter.
I love this game so much
Hoping for the full LP. Don't know if the game is insanely difficult with puzzles, but I think you should try it and drop it if you get hopelessly stuck
well now youve gotta play em all. And Give me the STOOOONE!
I don't have your stone and FUCK you anyway!
I don't need to watch the whole hour. Full LP Please
No history with the series so that combat looks jank. Haha.
I got fucking jumpscared by the sudden appearance of Nu Carnby when the game minimized
Big polygonal lips
Carnby sounds like a young bryan cranston
Jesus Christ, there is no problem with running in this game.
I know. Grrrr what the F LOL
The faster DOSbox is set, the harder it gets.
It's still more advanced than any other clone that followed.
it's definitely has a lot of elements that modern horror games could use without going overboard with holding your hand. It's just games that copied it in some ways did a better job at simplifying some mechanics.
Oof. Having beaten this game so many times as a kid I was in pain watching this attemp...